Dear England - NT Olivier / Prince Edward Theatre / Lowry

[andrew]

Aug 7, 2023 16:19:13 GMT jm25 said:

Aug 7, 2023 11:08:36 GMT FrontroverPaul said:

Now on sale to DMT+ members but stalls row D is closest to stage currently available. From the staging at the NT Olivier does anyone think that's likely to remain the situation ?

I'm not too familiar with the Prince Edward but I was front row for this at the National and the stage was exceptionally high - probably one of the very few times I've regretted booking front row. Even if they release closer rows, I'm not sure they'd be a great place to sit if the original staging is anything to go by!

I was in row C, centre, and the view was excellent. 

[theatremiss]

I went to the final performance last night and one thing that surprised me was how rowdy the audience was. Lots of shouting out and a highly charged atmosphere. I can see this being more so when it goes to the Prince Edward. Was anyone else there?

[Rory]

Highly charged is good but I hope the audiences don't end up spoiling it.

[ShoreditchTom]

I was there and noticed the same. Compared to earlier in the run much more of a generalist audience (as opposed to NT loyalists) I would say: more tourists, quite a few Dads with their offsprings, people wearing football shirts, couples loudly talking and slobbering over each other, lots of loud mansplaining who various people were, extended I'm going to lean forward/find my bag/unzip my bag/rummage around in my bag/find what I was looking for in bag/confirm this fact to my seat neighbour/loudly zip up and replace bag/rock around on seat a bit routines not to forget a few of those strange men who like to stand up mid row and look anxiously around, never sitting down at all until the show is literally starting (to the relief of the ushers who looked a bit concerned). A lot of booing / heckling for Boris also!

I suspect the audiences at Prince Edward are going to be awful! Noticed it starts at 7pm at Prince Edward which is slightly odd no, it's not that long?

There seemed to be some sort of issue with the sound in the first half, a tiny hint of feedback kept happening and the cast didn't seem very loud almost like they weren't being amplified at all. Recorded sound was fine. I was in the stalls so wasn't sure how it was in the circle? A few of the cast sounded quite hoarse too, I think they may be suffering from this horrible throat / cough thing going round which I've had and a lot of the audience also seemed to be suffering with!!

Glad it will make a load of cash for the NT but also glad I saw it on the Southbank, I will avoid the transfer I think because the audiences will likely wind me up! 

[theatremiss]

Oh ShoreditchTom that is spot on. I was in row G stalls, there seemed to have been some kerfuffle over seats in the front couple of rows. The usher on that ramp looked rather fierce and walked all the way around to sort it out. The usual “can’t work out their alphabet and numbers” to get to the right seat. Yes Boris was loudly boo’d and it was stopping the flow of the play. Also did you notice the shout out when Southgate was explaining what places we came in each World Cup? The shout out from a bloke in the audience (I nearly wrote crowd) when Southgate said “1974? we didn’t qualify. 1978?” And before he could deliver his line the shout out “we didn’t qualify” came from the stalls somewhere. Also Theresa May got her heel stuck somewhere and stumbled……probably a metaphor for her premiership

[rumbledoll]

Was there last night, a bit louder than usual and a couple of weird annoying single shouters but I would not say it spoilt any bit of the show. Wonderful piece about leadership by caring for people, echoes the recent Ted Lasso that I adored. A football fan myself, different team, but I can fully appreciate the sentiment. Yet again James Graham tells a truly compelling story that I am sure was, is and will be enjoyed by many not associated themselves with the game. I could do without the politics though.. but JG would not be himself leaving it out of the focus.
From where I was sitting in the circle (sound was fine btw) Joseph Fiennes looked exactly like Southgate, the supporting cast depictions of famous footballers were spot on. Gotta admit I cried a bit at the end, which says something about me more that the production, which felt inspired and inspiring.

[rumbledoll]

Aug 12, 2023 8:49:06 GMT theatremiss said:

Also did you notice the shout out when Southgate was explaining what places we came in each World Cup? The shout out from a bloke in the audience (I nearly wrote crowd) when Southgate said “1974? we didn’t qualify. 1978?” And before he could deliver his line the shout out “we didn’t qualify” came from the stalls somewhere.

I saw him putting his palm to his ear as if he was expecting the audience to join.. and they did. It felt spontaneous and made me smile actually as I love theatre just for that.

[ShoreditchTom]

Yeah that "we didn't qualify" shout was from somewhere near me I think (I was row M stalls) - handled really well by Joseph - and yes Theresa May recovered that well! She managed to get back on her feet, get her shoes back on and deliver her line before all the stuff on the revolve came round to hit her!

Also quite a lot of odd (drunken?) cackling coming from the side stalls at inappropriate moments like the Marcus Rashford dad line.

Pray for the poor ushers at the Prince Edward, especially in December! I can just visualise it now, people up in town for a bit of xmas shopping or some work drinks, getting very well oiled then Dear England afterwards! But there is probably some sort of ironic / circular / existential point to be made about England, Football, Theatre and the middle class / working class connection to the game etc!

I read a comment on The Times on an article which said of Dear England "it plays best to the middle class fan whose love of football and theatre are likely equal" which I agree with. I think the move to the Prince Edward deffo takes it into a difference audience profile (love of football probably more than love of theatre) which is ultimately good as theatre needs income but I wonder if the audience shift will mean it will get a bit more pantomime in parts and perhaps the audiences will be a bit less sympathetic to some of the themes in act 2?  I hope not, but I guess we need to wait and see if they change anything! 

[theatremiss]

rumbledoll I was tearing up when Fiennes delivered his analysis of his penalty faux pas in 96. Fiennes control of his emotions was superb. I’ve seen it from second row and various positions in the stalls and I have to say I can’t take my eyes off him. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Joseph Fiennes on stage before and I do hope it won’t be the last outside of Dear England.

[callum]

Also there last night but unfortunately left at the interval. Half shallow characters and half obnoxious audience triggered me to leave.

I know it’s supposed to be accessible storytelling, but found the whole thing unbearably broad, and not helped by the women behind me guffawing at every line… who knew ‘I brought muffins’ could be so side-splitting. And a weird Frank Spencer-esque voice from Fiennes.

Perhaps it picked up but don’t think my toes could face the curling that would have been prompted by a BJ cameo and a Sweet Caroline sing-a-long.

Appreciate it’s doing its job in getting non-traditional audiences into the theatre, but I know in future ‘crowd pleaser’ is a red flag for snobs like me!

[bordeaux]

Aug 12, 2023 8:58:03 GMT rumbledoll said:

Aug 12, 2023 8:49:06 GMT theatremiss said:

Also did you notice the shout out when Southgate was explaining what places we came in each World Cup? The shout out from a bloke in the audience (I nearly wrote crowd) when Southgate said “1974? we didn’t qualify. 1978?” And before he could deliver his line the shout out “we didn’t qualify” came from the stalls somewhere.

I saw him putting his palm to his ear as if he was expecting the audience to join.. and they did. It felt spontaneous and made me smile actually as I love theatre just for that.

Yes, that was me six weeks ago! He clearly gestures to the audience for the answer...

[fiyero]

I’m a little confused at all the exclusive pre-sale emails I’m getting for this from agencies when it went on general sale last Friday!

For the query about a 7pm start it ran about 3 hours when I saw it so good choice!

[KP]

Aug 5, 2023 10:00:43 GMT andrew said:

Aug 5, 2023 9:06:16 GMT KP said:

The remainder of this run is sold out but if anyone has recommendations on how to get a ticket to Thursday's performance (10 August) I would really appreciate it. My boyfriend is moving to the UK that day and I've always thought seeing this play would be the perfect way to kick off his life in England (he's a huge football fan and I am converting him to becoming a huge theatre fan). He's moving a few days earlier than planned so we actually have a chance to see it before it closes. We have one ticket but I need to find another. I am constantly refreshing the NT site hoping to get lucky. Do any of you have tips that could help me be successful - for example, are return tickets more likely to show up at certain times of day? Or a ticket for that night that you're not using? Thanks in advance for any guidance you can give me.

So you've missed Friday Rush which was probably your best bet, the Friday before the week you want the ticket they'll put up a handful of seats for cheap.

Your remaining options:
 - Religiously check the NT website, I don't know if a particular time is better than others but the box office opens at 9.30 so between then and the end of the working day, most likely in the 9.30 - 10.30 slot if I had to guess
 - Turn up on the day of the performance in the morning at the box office looking for a day seat, the numbers of these aren't guaranteed and there will likely be some length of queue for something that's sold out. I think they start selling these at 10am but double check, obviously the earlier you queue the more likely you'll get something
 - Standby tickets go on sale 60 minutes before the performance again from the box office in person, no guaranteed numbers and again it's first come first served, I've never tried this way so I don't know if you can turn up significantly earlier to queue

Good luck!

Thank you so much for your advice. My boyfriend and I were able to get tickets to last Thursday's performance. It was a perfect evening. Anyone who is looking for tickets to sold-out NT events should follow andrew 's advice!

[rmechanical]

I saw this a fortnight ago from the front row of the stalls , the view somewhat skewed but acceptable. As a non football fan I didn't know the narrative or how it ended . I found it funny , affecting and the physicality of the set pieces brilliantly choreographed. Although at one stage I thought one of the cast might join me in the stalls . There is of course the resonance of the current womens world cup as the rendition of Sweet Caroline at the end displayed. One caveat I overheard in the interval was " It's not serious theatre but pleasant enough " Well you can't suit everyone .

[lynette]

If, if and if the gals win the Cup on Sunday, future performances will be poignant indeed.

[Jon]

James Graham is probably rewriting as we speak.

[lichtie]

I almost got the feeling from the second half that he'd started this before the results of the last two years in the hope of a suitably dramatic conclusion, and found himself struggling a bit to make that section work once reality hit....

[swill]

Aug 16, 2023 20:02:50 GMT lichtie said:

I almost got the feeling from the second half that he'd started this before the results of the last two years in the hope of a suitably dramatic conclusion, and found himself struggling a bit to make that section work once reality hit....

According to Graham himself he had the idea a few years ago but did not start writing until after the Qatar World Cup, only meeting some workers in the FA after this!

[lynette]

Aug 16, 2023 16:22:32 GMT Jon said:

James Graham is probably rewriting as we speak.

So i might see a completely different version at the Prince Edward? 😂 

[mkb]

Over in the real world, Southgate's latest pearl of wisdom when asked whether newly-selected Jordan Henderson might trigger a bad reaction from England fans for choosing to play football in a country where people can be killed by the state for engaging in homosexual activity and women are second-class citizens:

"I don't know why a player would receive an adverse reaction because of where he plays football."

Wait till he hears about all the flack sportsmen received for playing in apartheid South Africa.

The differences between the touchy-feely character in the play and the real-life version are quite stark.

[lynette]

People, people, this is a play with a time span in it. If you want to discuss current football do it on the general section or write another play with new time span. And we will discuss it. Promise.

[Rory]

Joseph Fiennes is on The One Show tomorrow night.

[Rory]

West End cast announced. Dervla Kirwan replacing Gina McKee.

[Being Alive]

Sad to lose Gina McKee who I thought was terrific in this, but Dervla Kirwan a lovely replacement

[Mark]

Not listed as taking part in Friday Rush (as with The Crucible)